Processing of hydrocarbonaceous materials can often involve heating of feedstock materials to produce and remove hydrocarbons. A wide variety of processes can be used, however most processes inherently have particular challenges which limit productivity and large scale use. Hydrocarbonaceous materials such as tar sands and oil shale have been processed using both above-ground and in situ processing. Other hydrocarbonaceous materials such as coal have been processed using a wide array of technologies such as coal gasification and coal liquefaction. Recent developments in tar sands and oil shale processing technologies, in particular, continue to improve production efficiencies and reduce environmental impact. However, various challenges remain in terms of process stability, environmental impact and yields, among others.